International investment research project in media and creatives in the North

The international investment research project into the media and creative industries of the North, which Prolific North is leading, has signed up four major partners to help deliver the project. The BBC, Creative England and Midas have signed up as partners to the research project while Bruntwood has agreed to host the subsequent conference.

It is the first time that research into international investment in the creative and media industries of the North has ever been undertaken.

Specifically, the research project is exploring the breadth and scope of multinational investment, both into the North and also of companies based within the North who have themselves expanded overseas. The detailed findings will include a variety of data such as numbers employed, specific areas of activities, ownership information and scope of investment in the North. There will also be some separate case studies examining future investment plans and evaluating the profitability of running an operation based in the North.

Equally, and just as importantly, we have also identified a number of companies who are based in the North and have an international reputation such as the gaming company Eutechnyx in Gateshead, B2B International in Stockport, McCann Complete Medical in Macclesfield and their near neighbours Stein IAS in Bollington and Epiphany in Leeds.

Over 200 companies have already been identified with many more companies still sending us their information.

The final details and schedule are still being finalised in conjunction with our partners – the BBC, Creative England and Midas – but the intention is to announce some of the headline research findings in September with the invitation-only conference, hosted by Bruntwood, in November, at which the full findings of the research will be released.